Title: A Fragile Enchantment
Author: Allison Saft
Genre: Fantasy romance
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Publication Date: January 2024
Format: eBook
Length:  373 pages

Read if you like: regency romance, forbidden love, grumpy/sunshine, generational illness, political intrigue, forced proximity

Rating:

This year, I set a goal for myself to get in five workouts a week. If I were only doing strength training, this would be no problem, but I wanted to incorporate cardio as well and I’ll be frank, the idea of cardio five times a week is not an appealing concept to me.

To convince myself that I could enjoy this aspect of my workouts, I began picking up what I like to call Treadmill Reads. A Treadmill Read is a book that’s light and uncomplicated and, most importantly, easy to read at size 45 font. Incorporating these types of books into my cardio has been truly transformative in my motivation to get my workouts done, and it also means I’m knocking out more books than I usually have time for. A Fragile Enchantment has been on my list since roughly 2023 but I never seemed to have the motivation to pick it up, until I started reading on the treadmill. The premise sounded light enough that it would be a good read for this format, and I am happy to report that this turned out to be true.

A Fragile Enchantment was a cozy little book. I felt like the characters were endearing, and while the plot was a little predictable, the journey was still fun. There were some flaws to me, namely that I felt like some of the heavier themes didn’t land as hard as they could have due to minimal world building, but it didn’t deter from my enjoyment of the book. This was a solid treadmill read to me and one I’d recommend. 

The Book Synopsis: A Fragile Enchantment by Allison Saft

Niamh Ó Conchobhair has never let herself long for more. The magic in her blood that lets her stitch emotions and memories into fabric is the same magic that will eventually kill her. Determined to spend the little time she has left guaranteeing a better life for her family, Niamh jumps at the chance to design the wardrobe for a royal wedding in the neighboring kingdom of Avaland.

But Avaland is far from the fairytale that she imagined. While young nobles attend candlelit balls and elegant garden parties, unrest brews amid the working class. The groom himself, Kit Carmine, is prickly, abrasive, and begrudgingly being dragged to the altar as a political pawn. But when Niamh and Kit grow closer, an unlikely friendship blossoms into something more—until an anonymous columnist starts buzzing about their chemistry, promising to leave them alone only if Niamh helps to uncover the royal family’s secrets. The rot at the heart of Avaland runs deep, but exposing it could risk a future she never let herself dream of, and a love she never thought possible.

The Review

This was a lovely, cozy read that was easy to sink into.

I enjoyed the court-based, manners-driven plot. The concept of a magical tailor weaving royal outfits to provide stability for her family was whimsical and allowed for some really nice moments. The love story was also enjoyable, with a very slow path to the finish that let you savour how it unfolded. 

There were some gaps for me in this book. There was a significant element of oppression for a whole group of people that was supposed to sit heavy over the plot, but I didn’t feel like the world was developed well enough for you to ever feel the weight of it as much as you should have. I felt the same about the magic and its origins as well; there were some references to gods and one or two brief segues about this concept, but you could have pulled that out altogether for most of the book and I’m not sure the reading experience would have been any different. As a lover of heavier fantasy that is more world and plot-driven, this wound up feeling like a missed opportunity to me, but that’s also a personal preference and wouldn’t necessarily be the case for everyone.

Despite this, I did quite enjoy the story. It was predictable, but in a way that left you warm and fuzzy and anticipating what would come next. This was an easy read and was perfect for picking up when I wanted something light to breeze through. I’d still recommend this one, especially if you’re looking for something to casually pick up and sink into.